Museum on the Mound, Edinburgh, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Museum on the Mound is a museum of money and banking housed in the Bank of Scotland's headquarters on the Mound in Edinburgh. The Bank of Scotland dates from 1695, and the hill it sits on links the Old Town to the New Town, so the spot also gives one of the best views across the city centre.

The story behind it

The Bank of Scotland was founded in 1695 and is among the oldest banks in Britain. Its headquarters stands on the Mound, the artificial hill between the medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town. The museum inside tells the story of money and banking in Scotland.

The view from outside is part of the appeal. Look across Princes Street Gardens towards the New Town, a planned district laid out in the 18th century. On the skyline you will spot the Balmoral Hotel, a grand building that looks like a palace. It was built for the North British Railway Company, and its clock tower runs three minutes fast so that travellers would not miss their trains. The clock is set to the correct time only on New Year's Eve. J.K. Rowling finished her last Harry Potter book in a suite at the Balmoral, and she signed and dated a marble bust in the room to mark the occasion. The suite now carries her name.

What to look for

• The headquarters building itself is a large, stately structure that dominates the top of the Mound and shows how seriously a bank of this age wanted to be seen.
• The view north from the Mound takes in the New Town and its orderly streets, laid out in the 18th century.
• The clock tower of the Balmoral Hotel rises above the Princes Street skyline and is easy to pick out.
• Inside the museum, look for the displays on banknotes, coins and the history of banking in Scotland.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about an hour for the museum, or just a few minutes if you only want the view and the facade.
• Entry has long been free, but check current opening hours and details before you go.
• Good light for photographs comes in the morning and late afternoon, when the New Town view is clear.
• The Mound sits between the Old Town and Princes Street, so Princes Street Gardens, the Royal Mile and the National Gallery are all a short walk away.

See it on a quest

The Museum on the Mound is one stop on Edinburgh: City of Wizards Walking Tour & Escape Game. You reach it on foot as part of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. It suits anyone who likes a wizarding theme with their sightseeing, and the Balmoral story fits it well. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like, with no guide and no group to join.